Clean Water Act: EPA's Final Rule for Cooling Water Intake Structures At Utility And Manufacturing Facilities

On May 19, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concluded nearly 20 years of effort to adopt rules under Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act governing the use of cooling water at power plants and industrial facilities. The EPA's final regulations establish requirements for cooling water intake structures (CWISs) at existing facilities (the Final Rule).

Section 316(b) requires that the location, design, construction and capacity of CWISs reflect the best technology available (BTA) for minimizing adverse environmental impacts. According to the EPA, the Final Rule will affect approximately 1,065 existing facilities, including 544 electric generators and 509 manufacturers. The Final Rule will be effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.